Summer Stress

There is just something that heat and humidity does to a person.   In nature, it has about the same effect, especially on lawns.  I have always said that anyone can grow grass in Richmond during the spring and early summer, but the months of July and August can cause nine months of work to go down the drain and come September, the ritual of replanting starts all over again.  If one understands the problems and will follow some direction, the ritual of replanting will be slight and in many instances, not at all.  The following may help many of our tenants in growing a year round lawn at their homes in Richmond.

First, you must understand that you cannot change the weather.   Nature will almost always hand out high heat, high humidity, low rainfall and heavy rainfall.  We have been lucky this summer by having frequent rainfall and many cool and pleasant days but most of our summers will not be like that.  You can just about count on next year being a normal summer which will begin around the Fourth of July with a rainfall and then the rainfall pretty much leaves us until the Labor Day holiday.  Following are some general considerations for the development of turf stress management.  If the lawn first needs a good renovation, follow the included steps to begin a good green lawn.

Prevention and Preparation:

Mowing –  During the summer months, mowing at the upper end of the optimum range of mowing heights (3 – 3 ½”) will help maximize the leaf area needed to produce and store food reserves and help the plant better tolerate and recover from summer stress conditions.  Mowing on a low wheel setting only scalps the plant which depletes the plants carbohydrate reserves.

Watering – Water lawns to meet its needs.  Water thoroughly and deep – not frequently and only lightly.   Lawns need a drink of water not a shower of water to make it feel good.

Fertilization – Fertilize only as needed with slow release nitrogen.  Consider sulfur coated urea or organic based products.  If regular fertilizer is used, use only 1/3 of what you would use in the fall. 

Aerification – Aerification will help to reduce soil compaction and improve root growth and development  If you only wish to aerate in the fall, mow your lawn wearing a pair of golf shoes. 

Weed Control – Weeds will always grow whenever grass becomes stressed and the weed can take over.  Spring and fall are your best times to put weeds under control.   Keeping weeds and unwanted grass out of the lawn can only help your lawn area.  

           If a good lawn is needed to be made because of summer stress, follow the next steps.  Then next summer, be ready to fight summer stress.  The savings in time and money will be great. 

Renovation: 

The time to renovate Richmond lawns is early fall. In the fall the soil temperature is already warm for germination and new weeds are less of a threat.   If you wait until the leaves begin to fall (not turn) you are almost too late.  If it were me doing the lawn, I would be going full guns in my yard when the state fair is in town (you get your best rains during those 10 days). 

Step One – Cut the grass to optimum height.   Low is the height we are looking for because we are going to be working with the soil.  Catch all grass clippings if you can; both an iron rake and a tine rake are needed.  Mow your lawn twice and in different directions, rake all the grass and thatch what you can and water the yard until your water bill screams.

Step Two – Aeration may be required as the next step.   To check for compaction, push a pencil deep into the ground in many areas of your lawn.  If it goes down easy, your soil is good and porous and will absorb water and fertilizer.   If there is any difficulty pushing the pencil try to beg or rent a core aerator.  A core aerator extracts soil cores from your lawn.  Do not worry about the holes.  Now if you did not water well before you start aerating you might as well rent this machine to your neighbor that did water.  (Remember, if you are lucky to borrow an aerator or any type of yard machine, remember to clean it up, fill it up with gas and attach a nice bottle of wine to the handle when you return it.)  Good neighbors are good returnees.  When aerating, go over it two or more times in different directions.  After aerating, mow the lawn again but only on a slow running engine.  This is the easiest way to break up the dirt cores.  Remember low engine setting.  Now you got a yard ready to reseed.  Don’t worry about weeds right now.  This includes crabgrass.  The crabgrass will die this winter and you will be ready for the weeds this early spring.  For the folks that do not know what crabgrass is, look outside and if you see some grass that is apple green in color you just found some crabgrass. 

Step Three – Is to go to the garden center and buy a pH probe for $10.00, it is the only instrument you need to grow good lawns, plants and house plants.  A quick lesson on what I am talking about.  Everyone has D.N.A.   Well guess what, everything has a pH.  You do, the soil does.  pH is a symbol expressing acidity or alkalinity.  For gardening it is used in determining the attributes of soils. (Actually it stands for hydrogen ion concentration of the soil measured by a potentiometer judged on a scale of 1-9).  Soils measuring a pH of 7.0 are neutral.  Below 7.0 are acid, those above 7.0 are alkaline.  Garden plants and grasses grow best with a pH of 6.5 (slightly acid).  This is important because microorganisms work better breaking down soil in good pH.  So buy an inexpensive pH meter and you will use it a zillion times!!

Step Four – If your pH levels were good, skip the lime.   This is what lime is all about.  Lime raises the pH level, if needed.  What you might save on lime will pay for the pH meter.

Fertilizer – On a newly planted lawn do not buy expensive fertilizer initially.  The fertilizer you are using in seeding is only good in helping to germinate the seed.  You will have to fertilize again twice by Christmas.  When you buy fertilizer for the second application buy the best fertilizer you can to get a well balanced diet to the newly germinated grass.  Seed is the most important factor.  Buy the best and in most cases the most expensive seed you can.  The more time and money that has been spent on seed by the manufacturer is only going to help you germinate grass.  Kentucky 31 Fescue on sale is great if you are establishing a pasture.

Step Five – Work your soil up as much as you can.   Dirt needs to touch all parts of the seed if possible but not buried.  Put the lime and seed out at the same time.  Wait a week and then apply the fertilizer.  If no lime is needed, use the seed and fertilizer together.  Use a low setting on fertilizer.

Step Six – Water – New seedlings should be kept moist until well established.  Once seeds have begun to germinate, they must not dry out or they will die.  Once germinated (7 days), light and frequent watering during a 7 to 14 day period is sufficient. 

Lawn Replacement: 

            If you have finally decided to redo the lawn in its entirety, my advice to you is to get a professional to give you a price, then you have a guarantee on the money you spent.  When you are talking to a professional and if he/they do not check and address your drainage, your shade factor and your pH before the price is given, use the price sheet in your bird cage.

           See you on the parkway……………..

Tip Of The Month: 

            The best water for your houseplants is rain or melted snow.  Water defrosted from your refrigerator is the next best.  The worst water for your plants is tap.  Since plants don’t have teeth, they can do without the fluoride.